UMBC

The UMBC men’s soccer team will kick off its 2012 season vs. Radford University on Sat., August 25 at Retriever Soccer Park. The opener vs. the Highlanders is the first of 10 home games in a challenging 18-game schedule.

The Retrievers open with three games at home, welcoming VCU on Thurs., Aug. 30 and Robert Morris on Sat., Sept. 1. Those two contest are part of the Holiday Inn Express BWI Classic, which the Retrievers will co-host with Navy.

UMBC plays four of its next five games on the road, including a Sept. 11 date at Maryland, a squad that finished the 2011 campaign ranked ninth in the nation by the NSCAA. In their first meeting since 2000, the Retrievers and Terrapins played a memorable game in 2011, with the visitors prevailing, 4-3, in double overtime before a record crowd of 2,513 at Retriever Soccer Park.

“The last several years we have made a concentrated effort to make our schedule as tough as we can,” head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. said. “Obviously, one of the highlights is to play at Maryland. Last year’s game here was a classic and I am sure it will be a great atmosphere down there and one that will help our players down the road.”

In that aforementioned span, the Retrievers face road challenges at George Mason (Sept. 15) and George Washington (Sept. 22). UMBC has not faced the Patriots since 2001 and the Colonials since 2004.

The lone home game in the five games is a Sept. 19 contest vs. Loyola (Md.).

The Retrievers have another three-game homestand to follow, highlighted by the America East Conference opener vs. Vermont on Sat., Sept. 29.

Caringi’s squad follows the same pattern, with four of the nest five on the road, before concluding the regular season with back-to-back home games.   UMBC welcomes Boston U. to Retriever Soccer Park in the lone afternoon home game of the season on Oct. 13. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m. as part of UMBC’s Homecoming Festivities.

After facing defending league champion Stony Brook in New York on Fri., Oct. 19, the Retrievers close out the 18-game slate with home games vs. league rivals Hartford (Oct. 24) and Binghamton (Oct. 27).

The six-team America East Tournament begins with quarterfinal action on Sat., Nov. 3.

“The league is really strong this season.” Caringi added. “Stony Brook had a great team in 2011 and has a lot of returning players, as do many of the teams in the conference. Every program seems to be on the rise and I feel America East will be one of the better conferences in the country this year.”

2012 UMBC Men’s Soccer

August

Sat. 25  Radford  7:00 p.m.; Thu. 30 VCU ! 7:00 p.m.

September

Sat. 1   Robert Morris ! 7:00 p.m.; Fri. 7 at Mount St. Mary’s TBA; Tue. 11 at Maryland 7:30 p.m.; Sat. 15 at George Mason 7:00 p.m.; Wed. 19 Loyola (Md.) 7:00 p.m.; Sat. 22 at George Washington 3:00 p.m.; Tue. 25 La Salle 7:00 p.m.; Sat. 29 Vermont* 7:00 p.m.

October

Tue. 2   Howard 7:00 p.m.; Sat. 6 at UNH* 7:00 p.m.; Wed. 10 at Albany* 7:00 p.m.; Sat. 13 Boston U. $ *3:00 p.m.  Tue. 16 at Navy 7:00 p.m.; Fri. 19 at Stony Brook* 7:00 p.m.; Wed. 24 Hartford*  7:00 p.m.; Sat. 27 Binghamton* 7:00 p.m.

November

Sat., 3  at America East Champs TBD; Wed. 9 at America East Semifinals TBD; Sat./Sun. 12/13 at AEC Championship Game TBD

! Holiday Inn Express BWI Classic  $ Homecoming, *2012 America East contest